Should you outsource your marketing or keep it in-house?

Some companies are intimidated by the idea of hiring an outside marketing agency. Many believe they don’t need outside support because they have a marketing person (or team) in-house. The reality is, agencies like ours regularly work with businesses of all types — from smaller businesses who aren’t ready to hire a full-time marketer to larger companies who are looking for ways to fill in gaps or amplify what their internal marketing team is already doing.

Before turning to an outside marketing agency, it’s important to consider the challenges your in-house talent might be facing. Does their skillset align with what you are asking of them? Or are there some projects you aren’t pursuing because you don’t have the manpower or the time? Taking stock of your marketing department’s strengths and weaknesses can make the decision to hire an outside agency a bit easier.

Whether you’re interested in hiring an agency to take over all your marketing efforts or just to increase your department’s bandwidth, here are some of the top ways in which working with an outsourced marketing department can benefit your business:

Diverse expertise

While your solitary marketing director may be exceptional at his or her job, it’s hard for one person to provide the diverse skill set that an agency can offer. An outsourced marketing team is generally made up of a small group of people, most often with varied experience and expertise, that work together to provide a scope of services that meet all of your marketing needs. You don’t have to worry that what’s out of your director’s wheelhouse or, let’s be real, what they’re just not interested in, might be consistently pushed to the back burner.

Objectivity

You know your brand inside and out. This has its benefits, but from a marketing perspective, sometimes fresh eyes are just what you need. It can be hard for employees to separate themselves from their work in a way that allows for constructive, objective feedback and input on marketing projects. An outside firm tells it like it is, and often provides insight that can kick your marketing plan into gear.

Cross-industry insight

With an outside agency, you’re receiving a team of marketing experts with experience from a variety of industries. This array of experience often leads to the type of out-of-the-box thinking that can take your marketing strategy to a new level. Agency professionals have seen what works and what doesn’t, and their breadth of expertise can bring insight on a variety of new ideas, including things like opportunities for cross-promotion and cobranding your content.

Cost

According to Salary.com, the current average salary for a marketing director in the U.S. is $143,467. With a full-time employee, you’ll need to take into consideration things like health insurance, retirement benefits, and overhead cost of space and equipment. Beyond those costs, consider the need for additional employees to get the job done. Most marketing directors operate at a high level, developing a strategy and managing your marketing plan, while a junior level employee actually executes these efforts. For the best results, you’ll want to budget for at least two marketing employees to both develop and execute an effective strategy.

An outsourced marketing department, on the other hand, comes with none of the overhead of an in-house employee. Your monthly retainer covers all your costs, without the hassle of investing in new equipment or paying for vacation time.

Want the best of both worlds?

Marketing is never one-size-fits-all, but working with an outside agency can help determine the marketing structure that works for you while helping your business accomplish its goals. Take the time to analyze your marketing department’s needs, as well as any current or future initiatives that you’d like to achieve. If you discover your in-house team lacks time or specific expertise, it may be time to enlist outside help. For many of our clients, this was where they found themselves before we came in. We’re happy to serve as an extension of an in-house team that can help with as much or as little as your business needs.